President Obama Discusses Africa's HIV/AIDS Epidemic With President of Botswana

President Barack Obama met with Botswana's president, Ian Khama, on Thursday to discuss issues facing the country, including the spread of HIV/AIDS in Africa, Bloomberg reports (Johnston, 11/5).

"Although Botswana is not a large country, it is truly one of the extraordinary success stories in Africa," Obama said, according to a White House transcript of Obama's statements to reporters following the meeting. "President Khama ... has been showing his own extraordinary leadership in helping to move his country forward on a range of issues, from how to deal with the HIV/AIDS crisis to addressing economic development to dealing with some of the regional problems that exist" (11/5).

Bloomberg writes that Botswana has the second highest HIV prevalence in the world with nearly "one in four people between the ages of 15 and 49" HIV-positive, according to UNAIDS (11/5).

Back to other news for November 2009